The lips constitute an important focal point when engaging in conversations. However, having a dry skin around mouth is a problem that afflicts many people, sometimes leading to lower self-confidence. In some instances the skin around mouth itches and looks red and inflamed and in some severe cases, it may even bleed. What causes a dry skin around mouth and how can it be treated? Read on to find out.

Dry Skin around Mouth Causes

There are many factors for dry skin around mouth but climate and age factors are the most significant. Although anyone can suffer from this condition, people aged above 65 years are usually more prone to this condition and so are residents of dry areas with low humidity and low temperatures.

Another causal factor is the lips-licking habit observed in some people which lead to dry lips. This happens because saliva removes natural fluids from the lips making them chapped and cracked. Allergic reactions could also cause dry skin around mouth with sensitivity to fluoride being a common scenario.

Seborrheic dermatitis is another common cause. It occurs in situations whereby skin oil and yeast combine causing an infection particularly in people with oily skin. Triggers for this could be climatic variations, excessive scratching and rise in stress level.

Red Dry Skin around Mouth

Your lips may occasionally get irritated resulting in a dry red skin around mouth. This can be uncomfortable for most people and is often paralleled by an itchiness which ends up in more inflammation of the lips when you scratch the affected lips. Understanding the underlying causes of this problem will not only help you get rid of the inflammation but also prevent future occurrence of this condition. Treating dry red skin around mouth is as easy as eliminating the exposure to the allergen but sometimes good lip moisturizers may be required.

Applying a corticosteroid cream to the affected area and then covering the area with a wet dressing for 20 to 30 minutes is also a common treatment approach for this condition. Oral antihistamines can as well be used to treat red dry skin around the mouth especially if it is allergen-induced.

Dry Flaky Skin around Mouth

Perleche, a condition characterized by dry, flaky skin around mouth, is a common health ailment that affects a significant number of people at some point in their life. In some people, the condition goes away in just a few days but for some people, it may persist or keep recurring after a few days or weeks.

Dry flaky skin can be caused by climatic conditions such as low humidity and strong wind in addition to allergic reactions and other health conditions such as Seborrheic Dermatitis. Some people also get dry, flaky skin around mouth after kissing.

Tips on Getting Rid of Dry Flaky Skin around Mouth

Drink enough water: Getting plenty of water is generally advised and will not only help you get rid of dry, flaky skin, by increasing the moisture level in your skin, but also improve your overall health. An average of 8 glasses of water per day is advised.

Get your lips moisturized: Moisturizers such as, lip balms and Vaseline are generally good for getting rid of the dryness around your lips. In the case of lip balms, the naturally flavored lip balms are the best option.

Chewing of sugar-free gums and candy is also a good option as it improves the flow of blood to the mouth area helping to overcome the dryness.

Applying almond oil or olive oil to the dry lips also helps.

Brush the top of your tongue every time you brush your teeth. Washing out the saliva accumulated in overnight is as well helpful for people suffering from dry, flaky skin around mouth.

However, if all the above don’t seem to work, you should seek the advise of a doctor.

Dry Skin around Mouth and Chin

Humans are susceptible to developing dry skin around mouth and chin at times for various reasons. To start with, the lips don’t have melanin, the natural pigment that protects human skin from the harmful effects of the sun rays, they are prone to sunburns.

In addition the enzymes in the saliva break down the naturally secreted fluids causing the lips to dry and get cracked. This is common among people who constantly lick their lips.

Breathing through the mouth also causes dry skin around the mouth since warm air from the mouth dries any moisture available on the lips. Sometime, the dryness extends beyond the mouth to the chin.

Dry Skin around Mouth and Chin – Treatment and Prevention

If you experience dryness around the mouth and chin, applying a moisturizing lotion twice per day may be a good option. Palmer’s cocoa butter makes a good choice. Some people have also reported good results with Cetaphil, a mild cleanser. Any other mild cleanser may be good to go for, but you should as much as possible avoid using any exfoliating or drying product in the affected area.

You may as well consider slathering some little Aquafor on the affected area before going to sleep. Above all, protect your drying face from harsh weather conditions such as cold and strong wind by covering it with a scarf when necessary.

Best Drugstore Products for Dry Skin around Mouth and Chin

Cerave and amacton are two common products for treatment of dry skin around mouth. A combination of Lotrimin and hydrocortisone 1 percent ointment is also commonly used to contain this condition. The two products are applied above each other for a period of two weeks two times a day.

Lotions are also a popular treatment approach for dry skin around mouth. You can choose from the numerous top rated lotion brands available on the market including aquaphor lotion, Arbonne’s ABC lotion, and Johnson’s creamy baby oil among others.

Dry Skin around the Mouth – Itchy, Cracked, Chapped and Rash Skin

Dry skin around the mouth manifests itself in different ways for different people. There are some people who get dry itchy skin when exposed to allergens in compounds such as lipsticks and certain lip balms. You should as much as possible overcome the temptation to scratch the itchy skin as that not only causes increased inflammation but may also lead to formation of a scar.

Other people suffer from dry cracked skin which may at times start bleeding especially when the mouth is open. A lip balm or any other moisturizer is very helpful for such skins as it seals the cracks, thus helping to retain the moisture in while keeping the drying elements out.

There is yet another type of this condition that manifests itself in dry chapped skin. Chapped skin is usually caused by exposure to extremely drying conditions that the skin cracks. Chapped skin is an indication of significant reduction in water levels in the upper epidermis of the skin.

Some people may also develop dry rash skin around the mouth when exposed to the vagaries of weather especially cold.

In some cases, drying and cracking of the skin could happen to the edges of both the mouth and the nose.